Ruth Dornfeld

Ruth Dornfeld received 2008 GAP Award funding to cover costs relating to a custom made vielle and support the composition of new works for this instrument. The vielle is an early ancestor of the violin, actively used in medieval times and said to have traveled to Europe from Arabia. Though none of these instruments have survived, Ruth is having one made by Stefan Puchalski, an instrument maker in Port Townsend. Reconstruction is possible only from studying medieval woodprints and sculptures of the vielle. She will compose 10 to 15 pieces for the vielle inspired by the scales and forms of medieval and traditional French and Turkish music. These pieces would then be performed and recorded for distribution.